More questions than answers after Santini scrambles home at Sandown

It wasn't pretty viewing but for the second day running Nicky Henderson saddled a Cheltenham contender who won his race but left more questions than answers.

Santini, sent off 1-3 against three rivals in the Listed Future Stars Intermediate Chase at Sandown, lumbered round as if he was walking on the moon and beat 12-1 front-running Now McGinty on the bob of heads.

The sluggish showing came 24 hours after stablemate and Champion Hurdle hope Fusil Raffles had struggled to justify odds-on narrowly in the Elite Hurdle at Wincanton.

Watch: Santini just gets the better of Now McGinty at Sandown

Again bookmakers took a dim view, lengthening Santini's Magners Gold Cup chances with Hills going 12-1 from 8-1, although they were back to 10-1 later.

Bookmaker prices for the Ladbrokes King George VI Chase on Boxing Day were seemingly worthless as Henderson ruled out a return to Kempton next month.

That was on the ground of Santini's equally laboured efforts in the Kauto Star at the course last Christmas, although Henderson pointed out that in running third with Topofthegame second the form was reproduced in their RSA Chase finish at Cheltenham.

"We can put a line through the King George. He didn't enjoy the Feltham [Kauto Star] last year and we'll have to sharpen the pencil now and consider everything else.

"He was rusty and dusty and that was hard work and not what we were expecting," added a slightly ruffled Henderson. "He wasn't jumping out of that ground like he can do – he was electric schooling at home."

Nicky Henderson: 'He was rusty and dusty and that was hard work and not what we were expecting,'Credit: Edward Whitaker

Clutching at the positives, Henderson said: "There is a long way to go and you wouldn't know he was good at home – he is quite slow – so he is probably a hard horse to get properly fit. We will have to wind the clock up a bit!"

Asked about the possible meeting with Altior this season, Henderson said: "They might meet one day but I wouldn't want to see them work together in Lambourn as I would have time for breakfast between the two finishing."

Those who played the 1-3 price would have started to fret after Santini got into the bottom of the downhill fence starting out on the last lap after which Nico de Boinville gave him a few slaps down the shoulder to wake him up.

With the leader Now McGinty idling in the lead, the last mile of the race, including round the dolled-off Pond Fence, three out, was more like a Scalextric's duel, with each nosing in front in turn but with Tom O'Brien at maximum throttle on the runner-up and De Boinville carefully squeezing out his response.

The winning rider said: "It was stop start all the way and probably wasn't the easiest spectator sport as he made hard work of it, running in snatches all the time, but we are gauging where we are with them and he has got the ability."

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